Supporting beginning teachers to work with pupils with special educational needs and disability

Abstract

This chapter recognises some of the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and individual differences amongst those pupils diagnosed with some learning difficulties, that a secondary school teacher is likely to encounter, even in their beginning years. It aims to encourage consideration of how a mentor might offer practical advice to a beginning teacher about how to plan for these pupils in lessons. Countries apply different conceptual frameworks in identifying teacher standards related to SEND. Kang and Martin investigated the impact of engaging beginning science teachers in experiential learning to improve learning opportunities for pupils with SEND. They suggested that any opportunity that can be given to the beginning teacher to teach science to pupils with SEND outside the classroom not only helps them to see that experiential learning improves attitudes towards the learning of science by pupils with a wide range of learning needs, but also enhances pupils’ interest in science and their feeling of competency in the subject.